At last, the blind can ‘feel’ animals

One of the criticisms one can certainly level at South Africa’s national parks is that, for much of the apartheid era, they were exclusionary because their natural treasures were reserved for white people.

Even now, in our third decade of democracy, when the racial barriers to access have long since been removed, there are still parts of our society who remain cut off from the enjoyment of our parks and wildlife.

These are people with disabilities – and over the years SA National Parks (SANParks) has made significant strides in opening some facilities in its parks to people with physical disabilities. Now, at last, it has begun to modify some of its places to provide a tactile experience which enables blind people to “feel” animals they have never seen.

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Kruger National Park’s Letaba Elephant Museum has just reopened after renovations which provided the hands-on experiences for blind people. And, quite correctly, the move has been hailed by advocates for the disabled.

It is a reminder that such people deserve the same chances as the rest of us to have access to, and to enjoy, what are some of the most spectacular nature reserves in the world. That should also apply to the rest of our world.